Save the date! The fourth annual Fernleigh 15 will be held Sunday 18 Oct 2015!

The Fernleigh 15 enters it’s third year firmly established as a ‘must do’ event for runners. The former railway line, now a top quality cycle/pedestrian path, is a jewel for the residents of the Hunter and Lake Macquarie. We invite locals to come and run ‘their track’ and runners from afar to come and participate in what will be the most memorable of running experiences. Results from the 2014 event can be found by selecting the button below.

Why run the Fernleigh 15?
This is the only chance to run on the iconic Fernleigh track which will be closed to all other traffic! The course is a certified 15 km and will also feature the NSW 15 km Championships in 2014. Regardless of your ability the Fernleigh 15 is an experience, not just a run. Pass through suburban settings before running through the iconic Pacific Highway tunnel linking Newcastle and Lake Macquarie jurisdictions. Run through the leafy Glenrock reserve and then past the historic coastal town of Redhead. The run culminates with a ripping last km over boardwalk sections of paperbark swamp and finishing at the Belmont railway platform.

T-Shirt
Technical running t-shirts or singlets with Fernleigh 15 branding can be purchased for $15 when you register.

Early Race Kit Collection
Race kits can be collected before race day at Westfield Kotara. The Fernleigh 15 will have a check in desk located on the ground level in the courtyard outside David Jones. The registration desk will be open at the following times;
Thursday 16th Oct: 9:00am – 8:00pm
Friday 17th Oct: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday 18th Oct: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Remember to bring confirmation of your entry or personal ID to pick up. Should you pick up for someone else you will need a copy of their race entry confirmation.

Start Area and Start Report Times
Each group will be called to report to a marshaling area on the St Pius X oval 15 minutes before their start time. Ushers will lead the group down to the the start waiting area arriving 10 minutes before their start time. Officials will call participants from the Start Waiting Area to the Start line 5 minutes before the Start Time.

Car parking and the Shuttle Bus
Car parking is available at the start precinct at St Pius X High School. Cars may be left here until 12:00pm. Kotara Westfield is also withing walking distance of the start line situated off Park Ave and Northcott Drive.
A shuttle bus service will run every 30 minutes from the finish line back to Westfield Kotara and St Pius X. Purchase your bus ticket when you register or press the link below to be taken to the online shop to purchase a ticket.

Bag Transport
A baggage transport service will be available to take bags to the finish line. Bags will be left in a ‘secure baggage’ area at the Belmont finish line for collection after the race. No items are to be left at the start area. It is NOT recommended that you place precious items in transported bags.

Results
Results will live via NSW live results. Final results will be available from the results tab.

Prizes
We are fortunate in being able to present several prizes over the course of the day. Ca All prizes and places aside from the overall places will be taken from ‘Net Time’. This is the time recorded for each participant from the time they cross the start line until the time they cross the finish line.

Prizes for top three males and females and wheelies are as follows;
1st – $500
2nd – $300
3rd – $200

Top three men and women in each of the three categories will recieve a RunNSW medal while the top three eligible runners will recieve an Athletics NSW Championship medal. In addition the winners of these categories will recieve a Tom Tom watch or a Lorna Jane gift pack.
Open (14-34yrs)
Masters (35-44yrs)
Masters + (45-54yrs)
Grandmasters (55+)

Categories
Note: The minimum age for participation is 14yrs and all categories are age on the day.
Seeded runners are those capable of finishing under 60 minutes OR participating in the NSW 15km Championships. These runners are permitted to start at the FRONT of the Open Category wave.

Teams
Teams of any size can be formed with the top 4 finishers from a team to score.
To enter a team simply ‘create’ new team in the registration portal and have your friends select it when they enter. There is no added cost to create or join a team.

Aid Stations
Aid/drink stations will be provided at the start, finish, 3km, 5.1km, 9.5km and 12km marks. Electrolyte drink and water will also be available at the 9.5km, 12km and finish line water stains. First Aid will be located at several points along the course and the finish line.

Volunteers
The event requires over 50 unpaid volunteers. Most of these volunteers will come from local athletics clubs and other community groups. If you or your group are interested in volunteering please contact scott.westcott@nswathletics.org.au.

Runlab Pace Groups
We are pleased to announce that Runlab will provide THREE pace groups for any runners to join in in order to reach their target times. These runners will be well identified at the start and will wear a tall flag. The pace groups are
1. 4:00 min per km pace = sub 60:00 (this group will be start with WAVE 1)
2. 4:30 min per km pace = sub 1:07:30 (this group will start with WAVE 2)
3. 5:00 min per km pace = sub 1:15:00 (this group will start with WAVE 3)

Should you want to run with one of the pace groups you will need to ensure that you start in the SAME WAVE as your chosen pace group.

Marshal on the top oval of St Pius X School. Walk to the start line in groups.

Finish line is 50m from the termination of the track. gatorade, water, fruit available in the afteryard!

Late Entry ($50)
1st October – 18th October
While you register you will be asked if you would like to purchase a technical running t-shirt/singlet for $15 and/or return bus ticket for $10.
After you register you will be sent a confirmation email and will receive updates leading into race day.

Car parking and the Shuttle Bus
Car parking is available at the start precinct at St Pius X High School. Cars may be left here until 12:00pm. Kotara Westfield is also withing walking distance of the start line situated off Park Ave and Northcott Drive.
A shuttle bus service will run every 30 minutes from the finish line back to Westfield Kotara and St Pius X. Purchase your bus ticket when you register OR if your did not purchase your ticket initially press the link below to be taken to the online shop to purchase a ticket.

WARNING: This agreement affects your rights. This waiver must be read by all entrants and the appropriate check box ticked when you enter online.
For competitors under 18, a parent or guardian must read and accept it on their behalf.

I agree to compete in this event on the following basis:
1. I acknowledge that competitive running or walking involves the real risk of serious injury or even death from various causes including overexertion, equipment failure, dehydration, accidents with other competitors, spectators or road users, and course or weather conditions to name a few.
2. I understand that I should not compete in this event unless I have trained appropriately and a medical practitioner has verified my physical condition.
3. By competing, I accept all risks necessarily flowing from my participation that could result in loss of life or permanent injury. Accordingly, I release all people associated with the conduct of the event from, and will indemnify them against, all liability (including liability for their negligence) for all injury, loss or damage (including loss of life and personal injury) arising out of or connected with my participation in this event. For clarification, the people released include event organisers, promoters, sponsors, managers including but not limited to ; Athletics NSW Ltd, Humphreys Events Pty Ltd; Police Officers; Newcastle City Council; Lake Macquarie Council, Fernleight Track Committee , and all of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors and volunteers including event medical and paramedical personnel. This release and indemnity continues forever and binds my heirs, executors, personal representatives and assigns.
4. I consent to receiving any medical treatment that event organisers think desirable during or after the event.
5. I consent to event organisers using my name, image and likeness, before during or after the event, for event promotional broadcasting or reporting purposes in any media.
6. I understand that compulsory insurance cover affected for participants in this event may not cover me for all injury, loss or damage sustained by me.
7. Safety precautions undertaken by organisers (such as course supervision, race safety briefings) are a service to me and other competitors but are not a guarantee of safety.
8. I am fully responsible for the security of my personal possessions at the event.
9. My registration is not transferable to other people. If I am unable to compete, or if the event is cancelled, my registration fee is non-refundable.
10. I will notify you regarding details of any medical or physical conditions from which I suffer that might affect my performance or be relevant if medical treatment is needed.
11. I agree to abide by all race rules and directions issued by the event organiser.
12. I certify that I am 18 years of age or older and I have read this document and fully understand it.
13. I acknowledge this waiver and release binds my heirs, successors, executors and administrators.
14. I understand that an electronic transponder will be used for timing all competitors in the event and this will entail wearing the device on a loan basis. I undertake to return the ‘transponder loaned to me as a competitor and will pay the organisers the amount of AUD $50 (including GST) if I fail to return the transponder at the conclusion of the event/race.I understand that finishing any part of the event without the transponder will result in no split times and/or an official finish result.
15. In taking part in the 2014 Fernleigh 15 I understand that I will become a Community Member of Athletics NSW.
16. I understand that I will receiving communications from Athletics NSW and H-Events about further competitions and member benefits and may unsubscribe to these communications.

Refund Policy
Offering refunds is difficult when organising sporting events. Organisers of the Fernleigh 15 will start to incur costs from the minute you enter and often book event services and purchase products months before the event. For this reason we do not offer a full refund once you have entered. However:
1. Up to and including 7 September 2014, if you must withdraw for any reason we will refund 70% of the entry fee
2. From 9 September to 5 October 2014 if you must withdraw for any reason we will refund 40% of the entry fee
3. From 6 October 2014 we do not refund for any reason

Training

General Training Tips

ALWAYS stretch after a session and recover properly – eat some food including protein within 15 minutes after your workout.

LISTEN to your body. If you are sore or tired, modify the workout or have a rest day.

ALTER the training days to suit your week – swap the days in the program around but keep to the principle of ‘hard/easy’ – do not do 2 hard days in a row!

MIX up the terrain you run on; use grass, gravel roads, bush trails and bitumen. Try and avoid concrete.

Visit

Background
The Fernleigh Track is a multi-use rail trail near Belmont in New South Wales. The track was constructed in the way of the former Belmont railway line. The project is a joint venture between Newcastle City Council and City of Lake Macquarie.
The track extends from Adamstown to Belmont over an approximate distance of 15.5 km.
The former railway closed in December 1991. The first section between Adamstown and Burwood Road opened in 2003. Construction has continued in stages with the final section between Jewells and Belmont completed in March 2011.

History
For an estimated 6,000 years, the Fernleigh Track area was home to the indigenous Awabakal people. They lived amongst the rich natural environment and utilised the resources of the open and rocky coastline, swamp land and hilly forests.
Rail construction began in the late 1880’s, and the Adamstown to Belmont railway line was opened for traffic early in the 1890’s. It was used to transport coal from the mines in Lake Macquarie to the port of Newcastle and the Newcastle steel works.
In addition to coal haulage, a passenger service existed between Belmont and Newcastle. The trip took around one hour and was frequently used for weekend excursions from the city. When coal transportation began to decline, the service and maintenance of the line decreased.
In 1967, a switch from steam to diesel rail motors was made, before the scheduled passenger service was finally terminated in 1971. Throughout the 1980s, closures of coal mines along the line increased.
After the Lambton Colliery shut down operations in 1991, use of the line ceased completely.

The Transformation Process
Guided by the Fernleigh Track Committee the transformation from former rail corridor to treasured community asset began in 1994 after the joint purchase of the land by the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle City Councils.
In 1999, the development of a shared pathway was proposed. Funding from both Councils and the NSW State and Federal governments allowed construction to commence with a significant focus set on restoration and preservation. Different sections were completed in stages, spanning 2003 – 2011.

Timeline

– 1880 – Rail line opened to Redhead
– December 1916 – Rail line extended to Belmont
– 12 October 1922 – Special train left Newcastle for the opening of “Soldiers’ Memorial Hall” at Kahibah
– January 1925 – Redhead Loop name changed to Fernleigh Loop
– 1967 – Last passenger steam train to Belmont
– 8 April 1971 – At 17:10 the last rail passenger train to Belmont via Kahibah left Newcastle Station
– 19 December 1991 – Rail line closed
– 2 February 2003 – Adamstown to Kahibah Station stage of the Fernleigh Track (cycleway) opened
– August 2004 – Dudley Junction to Whitebridge Station section of Fernleigh Track completed
– 7 May 2005 – Kahibah Station to Whitebridge Station section officially opened
– November 2009 – Whitebridge Station to Redhead Station section of Fernleigh Track completed
– November 2010 – Redhead Station to Jewels section of Fernleigh Track completed
– 12 March 2011 – Fernleigh Track fully completed
– 21 October 2012 – Inaugural Fernleigh15 running/walking event